According to Julie Snider of USA TODAY, more American vacationers are joining Austrian, German and other European "tooth tourists" travelling to former Iron Curtain countries to have their teeth repaired at deeply discounted prices.
In Eastern European countries like Hungary, low-cost dental clinics named "Happy Dent" and "Eurodent" occupy an entire block in a key shopping district. A small Hungarian city, Mosonmagyarovar has more than 150 practising dentists. The core clientele for these dentists are visiting Germans and Austrians who top up their dental vacations with purchases of low-cost cigarettes and cheese.
Cost-saving Examples
Hungarian dentists are targeting English and American patients. One dental tourist from Washington saved almost 350% from what she would have paid at home. For example, eight crowns at a Hungarian dental clinic cost US$3,195 compared with the $11,151 cost-estimate from a Washington dentist.